Rounding home...

So here we are bottom of the nineth, bases loaded and I'm up to bat. This week is so very nerve racking...not only is my first T-Ball practice today, but my first half marathon is on the 12th, not to forget my last weigh in is in 3 DAYS!!! Can you all believe its been 5 months already? Have you reached your goals? I am very glad and proud to say that I have and I'm loving every minute of it. I also got a new used bike the other day and I cant wait to get out there on this gorgeous day so enough mushy stuff on the computer, I'm going outside!

T-Ball

Its official its almost summer. This year has been a crazy one. You see my whole life I have struggled with low self esteem due to being overweight or having missing/black teeth, but all that is gone now. Thank to some great inspiration and GREAT help from my grandma. Now here comes the biggest test of all...I am a coach for a T-Ball team! This means that a person who cant even call the pizza guy because of social anxiety will be out on the field with 12 kids and their parents (two of those kids are mine though, I think it might be less work if they weren't though). The amazing part is I am actually excited! I have no more excuses, I am in great shape, I look great, I have a fantastic smile, and I KNOW that I can do anything! I have been the "fat boy" my whole life, but no more! I am Justin Bartlett and I will do all the things I always wanted to.


Thank you to all those who have helped me get here...I know I can be an ass pain but I hope you know that I love and appreciate all of you...

Scaling new heights

Blogging...is not that interesting to me. I always end up fighting with my wife because all though there is a lot to talk about I never know what to say. So here it goes, This week has been filed with fun things likegetting paid to go fishing, going climbing on the rock wall, going golfing, finding my float tube, watching Kari drink calories( she had a beer), driving from utah to colorado (not). Not mention that although I have given Karis husband crap for 8 years about buying clothes in the little boys section, I realized yesterday that now I could too! Yesterday I wore a borrowed pair and found out that thats where they came from. LIFE IS GOOD

fitting in

This week will be a short post because nothing very exciting is going on. The biggest news of the week was that when I went fishing yesterday with my dad and brother, I was the only one who not only fit but fit well and quickly into my waders. Cant wait for the weather to settle down and get in a few more trips to the lake/river well whatever really...

Higher land

This week has been a good one for getting back on track. I have return to my training and actually ran my 6mi. along with my other runs. I also worked nearly 40 hours this week and that is really exciting, maybe soon I will see an end to this slow winter. Yesterday was a very exciting day, that started out very shitty. I woke up knowing I had to get my car safety and emission, my van new tires and alignment and knowing that I didn't want to do any of it! Then I went to actually accomplish these tasks and found out that it was not doable. The car didn't pass, and the issues the van had were going to cost twice what it was worth just to make it safe to drive. I was really frustrated, I mean I was supposed to go fishing and instead my wife was dragging me to a dealership to look at cars that I knew I wasn't going to like. Then three hours later I walked out with new hopes for this summer. We found a great deal on a 4 wheel drive Toyota highlander with the tow package and anti-rocky mountain pin strip coating (and interior mud guard). How many dirt road have I NOT taken because my POS van couldn't get me there! Hello Utah hiking trails and if I can convince my wife I might even look into a KSL boat. I have been loosing all this weight so that I could physically handle all these outdoor activities and now I can also actually get to them! My imagination is running wild with all the new possibilities...Got to go daydream and dream shop on Ksl now see ya....

cutting it close

Talk about cutting it close...I have 31 mins to post this blog before I am LATE, again. This has been a very interesting week. Forthe first time in 4 months I worked a close to 40 hour week and I did it in 4 days! Talk about all or nothing. I also am still getting used to my new teeth, never realized how weird something so small could feel. On the downside, all this business with work and teeth has kept me from training for the half I am supposed to be running soon, so my goal for next week is to do the training, and to blog on the seventh day...we will see how that goes..catch ya next week


P.S. GO SHARKS!

My new grill

A few weeks back I got an email from my grandma. She said that she wanted to help me get my teeth fixed. You see my two front teeth (#9 and 10 for those who know) were knocked out by a softball when I was in 11th grade. They were put back in but never capped, so they just turned black and broke over time. I would have gotten them fixed myself but it was extremely expensive and I have 4 young kids and lots of bills. I am not really sure why she all the sudden wanted to fix my teeth but after some prodding by my wife I decided, "why the hell not!". It has been two week now since that email and I am sporting a temporary bridge and will have a permanent bridge after my jaw has time to heal (appointment is sat for July 15th). I spent my adolescence fat, I spent young adulthood toothless and heavy, and Today I have teeth and a body I am proud of (who would be proud of a size 30 waist). For the first time ever I will put a picture of my face on my blog, now its not the best since its 1hr post surgery but I am pretty excited about it.

And just as a reference this is what they looked like before...

Aprils pics!

When this comp started in January I was proud of my size 36in waist. Now I wear a 30!!! Hell yeah.

Holidays and detours

Wow, I almost forgot to blog again. Im glad my wife ALWAYS has her computer (at least this time anyway). This week has been a lot of fun, but my diet is gone! Not to say that I am eating junk but I am eating way MORE than I should and ther are so many good things that I feel like I am continuosly eating and well I am. To further tip the scale in the wrong direction exercise is not the easiest thing while on vacation. I was so desperate this morning that I jogged 3mi in sand! Have you ever felt like running in water might be easier? Well I did today. Tomorrow will only tell how this month has really been for me I thought I was doing so well until Friday anyway...

oops...8th day!

This blog thing has been one of the hardest parts of this compition for me. I am ALWAYS forgetting to blog until the last day. Then I have NO idea what to say! I started this week on a plateau, even with added workouts my weight was staying exactly the same. This week I even ran 3miles in 32minutes (pretty good for someone who has only ever ran to the ice cream man) and still I had NO change in my weight. But this morning (finally) I lost weight!!! So at least I ended this week on a high note. I think I am doing pretty well this month but I still have one major hurdle ahead of me, a trip to the ranch, which is a place full of delicious food and its literally everywhere. They grow and make everything right there and expect that you will try bits of everything. It was my fat man heaven! Every year I would dream of the foods to come but this year I am dreading it. Mostly because of the salt content in the three days RIGHT before the weigh in. This will be the first real test of my strength and will power...I must resist...mmmtortilla, beans, rice, carne, oh and I must not forget all the fresh baked amazing breads...ya this is gonna suck!

Diet good, exercise probably better

Well I am glad to say that my diet seems to be working well, but my exercise is deffinately lacking. I am losing weight, at least at a fast enough rate to beat Brandon and Kari, but its the rest of you that I am worried about. I used to do the P90X with me wife but lately we have been having trouble finding time. We have although found time to watch our DVR'ed TV shows, maybe if we blow up the DVR we would do some exercise. Or maybe I should just grow some balls and do it myself. Oh well, I will write more next week but I am tired tonight, so good bye!

Journal day 4

Breakfast- today was 1 english muffin (whole wheat) lightly buttered with 1 whole egg and a cup of coffee with creamer and agave.

Snack- 1 zone bar

Lunch-a salad with spinach, lettuce, carrots, red onions, mushrooms, tomatos, 1-2 oz grilled pork, with light italian dressing. I also ate 100cal bag of baked cheetos.

Dinner- 1 corn taco shell with ground turkey, lettuce, black beans, salsa, tomato, onion, and a salad with all the mentioned topping just no taco shells.

Snack-6 triscut crackers and 1/2 cup cottage cheese.

I also drank water with all of these meals and snacks. I had one soda throughout the evening. Are you scared yet brandon? Kari?

Journal day 3

Breakfast- 1 thermos of coffee with agave and creamer, 1 whole wheat english muffin, 1 egg white, 1/2 tsp butter, and a banana

Snack- 1 zone bar and a water bottle

Lunch- Roast beef sandwhich on a sandwhich thin, 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/4 avacado, 1 water bottle

Snack- 1 celery with tbsp peanut butter and 1 handful baby carrots, 1 diet soda

Dinner- 5-6oz grilled pork chop, 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup steamed veggies, and a no sugar added fudge popcicle +1 water bottle

another great day, I even exercised!

Food journal day 2

Breakfast- one cup coffee with agave and creamer, one pack reduce sugar oatmeal, one egg white, one banana, and a bottle of water.

Snack- 1 banana

Lunch- 1 whole egg, lots of lettuce and veggies, lite cheese, and light italian dressing. Also 1 water bottle

Snack- a few tortilla chips, 1 1/2 egg whites, and a little salsa and cheese. another water bottle

Dinner- turkey loaf, 1 cup carrots, 1 large artichoke with 1 tbsp olive oil mayo, and a diet soda

Snack- 1/2 an apple and water bottle

This was a good day I think.

Givivng Thanks

This entry I just wanted to tell everyone thank you for your comments and support. Because my wife initially created this blog for me under her login I cannot really leave comments on other peoples blogs. So just know that I do read the blogs and that I appreciate your support in this weight loss. This weeks challenge would have been a lot different in the first month. I would have felt good about my food journal but the last month or so, eating right has proven to be difficult. I started to replace water with diet soda and even had a delicious fillet of fish from McDonalds. But maybe just maybe having to write down what I eat will halp me eat better.

So Today:

Breakfast= 1 mug coffee with creamer and agave (first mistake no real breakfast)

Lunch=1 diet soda, Roast beef and provolone wrap, 100 cal bag of baked cheetos, 100cal bag of chocolate pretzels (mistake #2 just because its a 100 cal bag doesnt mean it does have fat and sodium that I dont need)

Snack= 1 bottle of water w/ crystal light, Zone bar (210cals 14g protein)

Dinner= 1diet sode, 4 1/2 oz tri tip, 1/2 cup of red beans and rice, 1 cob of corn w/butter ( Plus I added more diet pop)

Snack= 1 Diet soda and 15 cheezits (mistake #4, having cheezits in my house)

So thats what I ate today, not terrible but I did make a few mistakes. Like the lack of water and having red meat twice in one day. I think this journal will be enlightening to say the least and hopefully it actually "lightens" me. This month will be my month Brandon will go down, Kari will get beat, and I will reign supreme! see yall at the finish line.

P.S. Thank you to my wife Jessica for typing my dictations no matter how goofy they may be, oh and brandon dont eat too many ribs, ok

Getting back on the horse

Just because this month has sucked doesnt mean that march cant be great! Thats what I have decided so far and it seems to be working, or at least I am. I've lost a little weight this week, but it still leaves me with a very small month. Oh well it means more to lose next month and since I am back at work for at least part of this month I think it really could be my month. Well I will check back in with you on friday.

This sucks!

This sucks I cant get motivated, I cant get off the couch, I cant lose any weight, and I cant stop eating. At least I know I wont waste my time watching American Idol now that Ellen is a judge. But really I dont know what I doing these days, I really just need to get up and get my ass in gear. Im sick of feeling so blah but I cant seem to find any motivation to do anything. I guess Feb. is not going to be my month, its a good thing there are still 3 left in this competition. I am really hoping to make march my month. I am going to have some work and maybe thats just what I need. I am still eating mostly good, just without exercise I am only maintaining. Winning second place last month was great and it should have motivated me but getting laid off has been really hard. Maybe I should just stop bitching and stop complaining and loss some weight...Talk to you next week BYE!!!

Week 1 month 2

This week sucked. I barely exercised and I ate too much. Sitting at home with the kids makes it way too easy to snack and be lazy. I have a membership to the club but my wife has to be home for me to use it, and since she is never home unless its when the gym is packed, I usually get to go twice a week. And for some reason we stopped doing the P90X, so I'm really screwed. I guess I really just need to find a way to get re motivated, but that's tough when you are used to supporting your family and now all you can do is watch your wife do it. I guess if I cleaned up around the house I could get a little exercise but that's just not my style. I just spend too much time sitting on my ass watching hockey and fishing shows wishing I was playing or fishing. I even used last months winnings to buy an ice auger (to go ice fishing) but because of our unusually warm winter, most of the lakes near me are not safe to ice fish! On the positive side I have not gained any weight, I just wish I had lost more. Oh well I guess I need to try harder. Anyone want 4 kids so I can exercise? Just kidding Hopefully this next week will bring some motivation back to me.

bye bye moob's (man boobs)

Woo Hoo! I lost 15.2lbs, and as far as I can tell 10 of it came straight from my moob's. Maybe the love handles will be next.

Oh and Brandon how does dust taste?

Weird thoughts...

I never thought I would spend my 8th wedding anniversary at a health club doing cardio and loving it. But I did! Friday marked my 8th anniversary and we decided to celebrate by going to dinner and working off the food we ate. Which is strange because in our lives neither one of us has ever enjoyed working out, but we did enjoy time by ourselves (which never happens since we have four kids!) and we have been enjoying having success in loosing weight. I know I weigh less now than I have in years and my wife says she hasnt weighed this much since before we had kids. So hooray! We have also figured out lots of really good meals that are good for us and even the kids LOVE them! But the no sugar thing is going to suck, I mean talk about peeing in my cheerios! I can live without soda and fast food but you take the sugar out of my coffee in the morning and I might go postal! I would use honey but I hate it and every other sweetner I have tried suck.



((((This is my Poke at Brandon)))) POKE haha you got poked!


Bye all I will get back to you for the weigh in on FRIDAY!!! (Have the money ready) yeah right...

Just doing it

So today marks a mile stone. According to the pain in the ass scale in my bathroom I have finally lost 10 lbs. Hooray! Finally all this crazy stuff is paying off. I did not do well with the water challenge and my wife did, which if you read my previous blog you know this makes me an idiot! I thought that would be cake for me but it was not. This weeks challenge on the other hand I think will be tough, not because I have a hard time checking lables but because when I make a meal I do not take the time to do the math and add it all up. My wife was putting it all into the computer for a few days but we are both finding it a lot of work and we are lazy so...it didn't last very long. But these challenges seem to motivate my wife so maybe it will happen, you never know. This is the point in my blog where I would comment about some terrible really yummy food because I am stronger than the food, but my wife is sick of reading it (since she is not stronger than it) so I won't this time. I dont think I will even pick on Brandon this week. It must be that I lost 10lbs and Im happy or something, either that or I am drunk...mmmm empty calories. I Love You Guys!

week 2 blog

Hello, goodbye, this week sucked!

That was a joke but really there is somehting to be said about loosing a ton a weight one week and the staying the same for another entire week. It kinda makes you want a warm fudge brownie with mint ice cream on top, oh well. I am still exercising and eating right, I guess I should trust my body to do what it needs to do. Somebody told me that one morning I will wake up having lost 5lbs, so my fingers are crossed.

This weeks water challenge is awesome! Water is a great thing, if I am still saying that in a week I am a little nuts. Really its just funny because in the 12 years I have known my wife I have never once seen her optionally drink water. So where it might be easy for so I know she will be sweatin'. a little entertainment is always good. My water goal will be 90oz or 5 1/2 water bottles. (I will be reusing the same bottle, I wont waste that much plastic)

Also light work this week means more exercise at home, YAY ;0/ ! At least I dont have chocolate cake with yummy ganache and 200 cal. cookies laying all over my house, hows that treatin' ya Brandon?

See ya next week, goodluck!

Pics...I guess

No soda, No beer, make Justin go crazy!

Not really. It really hasnt been that hard to give up soda or beer, which was a surprise. I thought giving up soda was going to be hard but my will power and drive to loose my man boobs has quickly overpowered the sodas allure. But...P90X is kicking my not so limber ass! Leaving me sore from head to toe and ready for bed every night. Good bye sex life (as if I had one)! Oh well... The battle has been good so far. I have even steped up my weights already (Im not using my wifes anymore). My next challenge will be controlling these blasted fast food urges...mmm McRibb

Good Luck everyone (except brandon)